Village of Long Grove
Plan Commission

September 16, 2003 Special Meeting Minutes

 

Chairman Present:  Fred Phillips

 

Commissioners Present: Joseph Di Iorio, Nicholas Fasano, Camy Gould, Robert Jenkins, and Lisa Phillips.

 

Commissioners Absent: Ed Acuna and Michael Dvorak

 

Also Present: Village Planner Edmond Cage.

 

1.         CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Fred Phillips called the meeting to order at 8:05 p.m.

 

2.         MINUTES OF September 2, 2003

There were a number of changes made to the draft meeting minutes from September 2, 2003 meeting minutes.  Commissioner Fasano motioned to approve the revised September 2, 2003 meeting minutes,  Commissioner Lisa Phillips seconded.  Ayes, all.  Nays, none, motion carried.

 

3.         Continued Public Hearing For a Text Amendment and Special Use Permit to Operate a Day Care Center for Approximately 22 Children Within the Existing Residence Located at 7155 RFD (Lot #29 Towner Subdivision), Submitted by Dmitriy Makhovik. 

 

Attorney, Elliott Hartstein representing the petitioner, was present and discussed the potential project.  Specifically, the two alternative parking/drop-off options, plan A and plan B, that were distributed to the Plan Commission were discussed.  Mr. Hartstein outlined the history of how this petition arrived at the two plans that were before the Plan Commission at this time.  He stated that both plans met all the Village requirements.  Mr. Hartstein indicated that Plan A had been slightly revised to include an area to the west of the proposed parking lot that would allow a vehicle to reverse to the west outside of the drive aisle that was located to the east. 

 

This was an initial concern of the Village Staff with plan A and would have the effect of eliminating some conflicts between vehicles entering and leaving the proposed parking lot.  Mr. Hartstein requested that the Plan Commission make a recommendation based on the two submitted plans.

 

Commissioner Gould generally preferred plan A to plan B.  She asked the petitioner how the drop-off of the children would occur?  She asked the petitioner if the third tree illustrated on the proposed plan would have to be removed and the petitioner commented that the tree would have to be removed.  Commissioner Gould also asked the petitioner if the parking spaces complied with the Village Code and the petitioner commented that they would.

 

Commissioner Jenkins favored neither plan A or plan B and passed out a concept plan that he had designed himself to the Plan Commission and the petitioner.  He felt that it was very important for the Plan Commission members to go to the proposed location and view the parking/drop-off area from a practical standpoint.

 

Mr. Hartstein commented that he thought the concept plan as designed by Commissioner Jenkins would not work at this location.

 

Commissioner Fasano overall prefers the plan A concept plan.  He stated that the concept plan only included parking and did not include any drop-off area as testified by the petitioner.  He suggested that the petitioner might consider using four parking spaces rather than five for safety purposes and this would provide more space for vehicles to turn around at this location.  He had some concerns with the height and subsequent visibility due to the hedges and other similar material close to Route 83 and felt that these materials blocked visibility and should either be substantially trimmed or removed entirely.  Commissioner Fasano asked the petitioner what the concrete circular structure that is located in the front yard was?

 

Mr. Hartstein responded that he did not know what the concrete structure in the front yard was.

 

Commissioner Lisa Phillips stated that she would prefer the plan provided by Commissioner Jenkins over the others the petitioner provided and would like to see the petitioner provide a plan for the safe transport of children to and from the building and their vehicles, even if it required using space not previously considered.  Her concerns were specifically in regards to safety.  She noted that the remaining concerns are about safety and not parking.  She asked what the petitioner would do if all the children are dropped off at the proposed facility at the same time?

 

Mr. Hartstein believes both of the two concept plans will accommodate all parking and drop-offs.  Commissioner Lisa Phillips does not think either concept plan would safely accommodate the proposed number of cars.

 

Commissioner Di Iorio had the same concerns as Commissioner Lisa Phillips.  Overall he stated a preference for plan A and felt that the addition of 5 parking spaces was appropriate.  He had some ideas concerning the parking of cars 2 deep and possibly moving 2 parking spaces to the rear of the building.

 

Commissioner Gould suggested moving the parking and drive aisle to the rear of the building and possibly add parking to the west side of the building by parking staff vehicles first and then double-loading the parking spaces with the parents’ cars.

 

Mr. Hartstein did not want to relocate the parking and drive aisle to the rear of the building because this is where the play area and septic area are located.  Also in response to the double-loading of parking spaces, Mr. Hartstein  had a concern with safety with this proposal.

 

Village Manager Lothspeich was in the audience and presented a concept idea that involved double-loading parking spaces.

 

Village Planner Cage stated that whichever plan is submitted by the petitioner, that this plan must be to a commonly used scale, must be a full-size plan and must be submitted in a manner that allows staff time to review the plan prior to the next available Plan Commission meeting.

 

Mr. Hartstein stated in response that they did not want to draft a scaled plan if it was simply going to be changed in the future by the Plan Commission and asked for some direction as to which plan, A or B the Plan Commission preferred.

Commissioner Fasano requested that a professional design and draft the parking/drop-off area on a scaled plan.

 

Chairman Fred Phillips suggested that the Plan Commission give the petitioner some direction on which of the two option plans they preferred.

 

Commissioner Gould preferred plan A.  Commissioner Jenkins preferred a variation of plan B.  Commissioner Fasano preferred plan A.  Commissioner Lisa Phillips preferred neither plan A or B and had a preference for the concept plan as illustrated by Village Manager Lothspeich.  Commissioner Di Iorio preferred a variation on plan B with the parking moved to the rear of the building.  Chairman Fred Phillips had an overall preference for plan A with maybe a sixth parking space.  Commissioner Acuna was not present but had indicated to Village Planner Cage that if he had to choose between plan A and plan B that overall he had a preference for plan A.  Commissioner Dvorak was not present.

 

Commissioner Gould reminded the petitioner that a full-sized scaled plan drafted by a professional was requested.

 

Mr. Hartstein requested the ability to use the escrow funds on deposit with the Village to fund the scaled plan.

 

Village Manager Lothspeich stated that the escrow funds are used by the Village to review plans only and not for the design of plans.

 

Commissioner Gould requested that a landscape plan be submitted with the scaled plan.  Village Planner Cage suggested that the scaled plan could include the existing landscaping at this location.

 

Commissioner Jenkins requested that the septic system be illustrated on the scaled plan. 

 

Commissioner Di Iorio motioned that the Plan Commission continue this public hearing to the October 7, 2003 Regular Plan Commission Meeting for further discussion and review, Commissioner Gould seconded.  Ayes, all.  Nays, none, motion carried.

 

4.         Public Hearing for a Potential Text Amendment that would allow for the Illumination of Subdivision Signs.

 

The public hearing was opened by Chairman Fred Phillips.  There were no members of the audience present for this public hearing and therefore were no public comments.

 

Commissioner Lisa Phillips had a concern on the internal illumination of such signs and the types of sign materials used.

 

Village Planner Cage described the process for such signage requests before the Architectural Board and explained that this potential text amendment had been discussed at a previous Plan Commission meeting but that holding a formal public hearing was important to process this request.

 

Commissioner Gould motioned that the Plan Commission approve the Text Amendment that would allow for the illumination of subdivision signs as outlined in the Staff Report dated August 19, 2003, Commissioner Jenkins seconded.  Ayes, all.  Nays, none, motion carried.

 

5.         Continued Public Hearing For the Consideration of a Text Amendment That Would Permit Outdoor Dining and Patios as Either Permitted Uses or Special Uses Within the B-1 Historic Business District and B-2 Suburban Business District.

 

There was continued discussion on the revised draft ordinance on the potential text amendment regarding outdoor dining.

 

Commissioner Gould and Commissioner Lisa Phillips had some concerns with item #6 and that it could possibly limit ambient lighting.

 

Commissioner Lisa Phillips had a concern on item #7 and felt that it might be to limiting and should be reviewed by the Plan Commission and the Village Board.  Some suggested wording for item #7 was “Any impact on the required parking for the property, upon which the outdoor dining is located, must be approved by the Village Board.”

 

There was some discussion on item #2 and the number of patrons and tables permitted under the temporary use and the overall consensus was that 6 tables and 24 patrons was the most appropriate.  The proposed changes were to be made to the draft ordinance and brought back to the Plan Commission at a future special meeting for further review.

 

Commissioner Jenkins motioned that the Plan Commission table this public hearing to the next available Special Plan Commission Meeting, Commissioner Fasano seconded.  Ayes, all.  Nays, none, motion carried.

 

6.         Other Business.

Chairman Fred Phillips raised the issue of creating a senior housing zoning district.

 

Commissioner Fasano took a list of telephone numbers and e-mail addresses and will put this information into a list for the Plan Commission use.

 

There was some discussion on both the times and dates for meetings and the need to be more productive at the special meetings.  The next regular Plan Commission meeting is set for October 7, 2003.  The Plan Commission cancelled the next Special Plan Commission Meeting scheduled for October 21, 2003.  This means the following Regular Plan Commission Meeting would be November 4, 2003.

 

7.         New Business  – Next Regular Meeting - Tuesday, October 7, 2003 at 8:00 p.m.

                                       

8.         Adjournment

 

            Motion to adjourn by Commissioner Jenkins, seconded by Commissioner Fasano.

 

            Meeting adjourned at 11:02 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted by,

 

 

Edmond Cage

Village Planner

Village of Long Grove